!Mira que luna! Look at that moon! Resources for learning English

Fernando Olivera: El rapto.- TEXT FROM THE NOVEL The goldfinch by Donna Tartt (...) One night we were in San Antonio, and I was having a bit of a melt-down, wanting my own room, you know, my dog, my own bed, and Daddy lifted me up on the fairgrounds and told me to look at the moon. When "you feel homesick", he said, just look up. Because the moon is the same wherever you go". So after he died, and I had to go to Aunt Bess -I mean, even now, in the city, when I see a full moon, it's like he's telling me not to look back or feel sad about things, that home is wherever I am. She kissed me on the nose. Or where you are, puppy. The center of my earth is you". The goldfinch Donna Tartt 4441 English edition﻿

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Listening for learning English: Freak out

Freak Out

Oct 25 2016

Intro

When do you act crazy and intense? What happens during these times? Perhaps, your brothers are so noisy that you can’t study. You might become angry and freak out on them by yelling and telling them to be quiet. Or you might learn that your ex-girlfriend has been on astakeout near your home. This might freak you out and make you feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, you may have had a long week. On Friday, you could go to the dance club and freak out on the dance floor.

So, what does freak out actually mean? We use this expression for both good and bad feelings. But when someone freaks out, they are always intense and probably a little crazy. They lose control of their emotions, sometimes, in a happy way and, at other times, in an angry way. Some people can save their energy. They use their intuition to decide when to freak out.

Is Andy this type of person? Watch today’s English soap opera to learn why Andy’s crime-drama dream has a theme song called Freak Out.

Dialogue

Andy_H: And that was it.
Kelsey: That’s it? What about the stakeout? Was there a car chase? Tell me there was a car chase!
Andy_H: No, that was about it. We just came up with nicknames for ourselves.
Kelsey: I guess that’s cool.
Andy_H: Yeah. Oh! There was one more thing.
Kelsey: A car chase?
Andy_H: No, but it was really fun. So, this crime dramawas kind-of like a TV show, so it had its own theme song.
Kelsey: Hey, Andy? What’s the name of your crime-drama, TV-show dream?
Andy_H: Freak Out.
Kelsey: Freak Out?
Andy_H: Yeah, because I’m so intense I freak out on crime.
Kelsey: Oh boy! OK. He’s a man with a plan that’s kind-of vague, but we like him anyway. It’s Renegade. Freak Out! It’s Renegade. She’s a woman with intuition, and she’s the commander of this mission. It’s the Captain. Freak Out! It’s the Captain. She’s intense, and she’sinspired. But today, she’s really just rather tired. Her name is Sleepy. Freak Out! It’s Sleepy Sheila. She’s changed from a life of crime to helping people all the time. Her name is Jailhouse. Freak Out! It’s Jailhouse Jordin. I’m the narrator of this strange dream Andy told us about nicknames. My name is Incredible. Freak Out! Incredible Kelsey.
Andy_H: Wow, that was really awesome, Kelsey!
Kelsey: Do me a favor, Andy? Next time you have a dream, make it more interesting than us giving each other nicknames?
Andy_H: Well, you know, I just had this dream where it was the 1960s, and Godzilla just got out of prison…
Sheila: No! No! That is enough time travel!
Andy_H: You guys want to grab some ice cream?
Jordin: Sure.
Kelsey: Yeah.THE END

Discussion

Andy has finally finished telling Kelsey about his crime-drama, TV-show dream. There’s just one more important detail… He explains that his dream had a special theme song. Kelsey asks what the name of the song is, and suddenly, they are inside the music video for the song Freak Out.

Kelsey sings about each of the cast members. Renegade doesn’t always have a good plan, but he freaks out on crime. The Captain is in charge of the team’s mission, and she is very smart. Sleepy Sheila loves to help solve crime, but she often falls asleep. Jailhouse Jordin is not a criminal anymore, and now she helps people. Finally, there’s Incredible Kelsey, the narrator and musician. The team had a lot of fun, but they agree that they need a break from Andy’s dreams.

What was the strangest dream you ever had? When do you freak out, and why?

Grammar Point

Imperative Form

Kelsey wants to know more about Andy’s dream. She says, “Tell me there was a car chase!” She uses theimperative form.

“Stop!,” “Come here!,” and “Look out!” are all examples of the imperative form. You can use the imperative form to give an order, a warning, or some advice.

To form the imperative, use the infinitive form of the verb without “to.” To make a negative imperative, put “do not” or “don’t” in front of the verb, as in, “Don’t touch that!”

Kelsey is excited, so she uses an imperative to demand that Andy tell her if there was a car chase. Kelsey could have asked politely for the same information without animperative. For example, she could have said: “Could you tell me if there was a car chase?” However, most people would just use the imperative form when they are excited and talking to a friend.

The imperative is formed the same for all subjects (you, he, we, they), but you can include yourself in the imperative by adding “Let’s,” as in, “Let’s go for a swim.”

If you want to be more polite when using an imperative, just add “please.” For example, “Please, leave me alone. I’m trying to learn English!”

When I was a child my mother and aunt used to play with me looking for the facial features of the moon and animated shapes among the stars, at the moonlight. My family used to teach us how to learn with pleasure about everything. That was their passion.

And we have been enjoying it.....since then.

Madrid Weather forecast

Tiempo en Madrid

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C2 Proficiency English

Disclaimer:This blog is private, -for sharingESLresources I use every day as a long-life learner-, non-revenue generating, non-promotional, non-advertorial.If copyright is infringed and inaccuracies found, do advise. Deletion will be immediate. Thanks a lot. The author of Look at that moon!